Explosion leads to discovery of meth lab at Daytona Beach hotel

January 6, 2012|By Gary Taylor, Orlando Sentinel

A small explosion this morning led to the discovery of a meth lab inside a room at a hotel in Daytona Beach.

The explosion occurred inside a fourth-floor room at the Bermuda House Hotel, 2560 N. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach police spokesman Jimmie Flynt said. The extent of the damage is unknown because police are awaiting the arrival of a narcotics team that is skilled in dismantling and cleaning up meth labs, Flynt said. "We're taking all precautions," he said.

Methamphetamine was being cooked on a stove in the room when the explosion occurred about 7:15 a.m, Flynt said.

The explosion shattered a glass door and a man inside the room broke out the glass so he and a woman could throw a pot and black bag onto the pool deck below, Flynt said.

The man fled, but the woman is being questioned, he said.

The fourth floor of the hotel has been evacuated, although there were only three occupied rooms on that floor, Flynt said.